Table 1: Overview of study parameters of rTMS studies.
Main author and year | Instrument | Stimulation (active) | Sample | Stimulation (time) | Stimulation (frequency) | Number of sessions (days) | Improvement (drop of scores - THI and/or VAS) (perception or distress) |
Sustained effect |
Randomized clinical trials | ||||||||
Schecklmann, et al., 2015 [39] | TQ, DBQ, GÜF, VARL, MWT-B, ZVT | temporal and frontal cortex | 40 | 3 min, 20 sec | 1 Hz, 200 pulses, 60% RMT | 2 | Tinnitus loudness reductions were scarce | not mentioned |
Wang, et al., 2015 [60] | THI, VAS | LTPC | 21 | not mentioned | 1 Hz, 1000 pulses, 110% RMT | 10 | THI: Drop of less than 20 points/each group | < 4 weeks |
Wang, et al., 2015 [60] | VAS | TPC | 39 | not mentioned | 1 Hz, 1000 pulses, 110% RMT | 10 | VAS: Drop of less than 2 points | < 4 weeks |
Folmer, et al. 2015 [40] | TFI, THQ, HHQ, MHQ, VAS, THI, BDI II, STAI | AC | 64 | not mentioned | 1 Hz, 2000 pulses, 110% RMT | 10 | THI: Drop of 7 points | 26th week |
Park, et al., 2015 [48] | THI, VAS, BDI, STAI, PSQI | LAC, PFC | 14 | not mentioned | 1 Hz, 6000-12000 pulses, 110% RMT | not mentioned | THI and VAS: Drop of 10 points/each | 4 weeks |
Hoekstra, et al., 2013 [37] | TQ, THI, VAS | bilateral AC | 50 | not mentioned | 1 Hz, 2000 pulses, 110% RMT | 5 | No improvement | no follow up |
Yang, et al., 2013 [46] | THI | between left temporal and left parietal | 36 | not mentioned | 1 Hz, 2000 pulses, 110% RMT | 10 | THI: Drop of more than 30 points | not mentioned |
Barwood, et al., 2013 [38] | THI, psychoacoustic measure of tinnitus | LAC | 8 | 33 min | 1 Hz, 2000 pulses, 110% RMT | 10 | THI: Drop of 7 or more points | one month |
Anders, et al., 2010 [36] | TQ, THI, VAS | LAC | 42 | not mentioned | 1 Hz, 1500 pulses, 110% RMT | 10 | THI: Drop of 4 points TQ: drop of 2 points on TQ modified by Goebel & Hiller score |
26 weeks |
Marcondes, et al., 2010 [41] | THI, VAS | LTPC | 19 | 20 min | 1 Hz - 1020 pulses - 110% RMT | 5 | Drop of less than 20 points on THI score, around 7 points |
6 months |
Yilmaz, et al., 2014 [61] | THI, VAS, psychoacoustic measure of tinnitus | not mentioned | 60 | 30 min | 1 Hz, pulses and RMT - not mentioned | 10 | Drop of 8 points on THI score | 1 month |
Randomized crossover clinical trials | ||||||||
Lee, et al., 2013 [62] | THI, VAS | between T3 and C3/T5 (EEG) | 15 | not mentioned | 1 Hz, 1200 pulses, 100% RMT | 5 | THI: Drop of 11 points | immediate |
Kim, et al., 2014 [44] | THI, VAS | TPC | 40 | 10 min | 1 Hz, 600 pulses, 90% RMT | 5 | Drop of 9 points on THI in ipsilateral group and 7 points in contralateral group |
1 month |
Piccirillo, et al., 2013 [45] | THI | LTPC | 14 | 42.5 min | 1 Hz, pulses not mentioned, 110% RMT | 20 | No improvement | none |
Piccirillo, et al., 2011 [42] | THI | LTPC | 14 | 42.5 min | 1 Hz, pulses not mentioned, 110% RMT | 10 | No improvement | none |
Mennemeier, et al., 2011 [43] | VARL, THQ, TSI | TPC | 21 | 30 min | 1 Hz, 1800 pulses, 110% RMT | 5 | VARL: 33% score drop | no follow up |
Legend: AC: Auditory Cortex; BDI: Beck Depression Inventory; BDI II: Beck Depression Inventory II; DBQ: Depression Beck Questionnaire; GÜF: German questionnaire for hyperacusis); HHQ: Hearing History Questionnaire; MWT-B: (verbal intelligence); PFC: Prefrontal Cortex; PSQI: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; RI: Residual Inibition; RMT - Resting Motor Threshold; STAI: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; THI: Tinnitus Handcap Inventory; THQ: Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire; TP: Temporal Cortex; TPC: Temporo Parietal Cortex; TSI: Tinnitus Severity Index; TQ: tinnitus questionnaire; VARL: Visual Analogue Ratings of Tinnitus Loudness; VAS: Visual Analog Scale and; ZVT: (General Processing Speed Free from Language Performance).